White House orders US forces to focus on ‘quarantine’ of Venezuelan oil for next two months

Summary

• The White House has ordered US forces to focus on quarantining Venezuelan oil for at least two months.
• The priority is economic pressure through sanctions, aiming for the White House's desired outcome.
• Military options remain, but land strikes are less likely as economic measures are prioritised.

WASHINGTON - The White House has ordered US military forces to focus almost exclusively on enforcing the “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil for at least the next two months, a US official told Reuters on Dec 24.

“While military options still exist the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking,” the official said.

The statement could dampen the immediate prospect of US land strikes against Venezuela that President Donald Trump has repeatedly said may take place.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the White House order was for US forces to focus almost exclusively “on the quarantine of Venezuelan oil for at least the next two months.”

“The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on (Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro and the belief is that by late January Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the US,” the official said. REUTERS